Just as the seasons change, people
expect to see the latest update in the EA sports roster, especially with the
introduction of a new gaming console. With the launch of the new Nintendo Wii
console people were wondering how Madden football would change, and how it would
incorporate the new motion sensor control scheme. People wondered if the
controls would be too gimmicky after playing it for a while, and how would the
game stand up to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions since the Wii has less
graphical horsepower. Well after playing with the game for many hours you can
put all your fears at ease as Madden NFL 07 for the Nintendo Wii is one of the
best versions I have played this year.
Out with the old and in with
the new
That is what I thought of when I
first booted up this game and started playing it. When you first load up the
game you will be presented with the usual options plus a new one entitled “Learn
Madden,” which is very essential to go through if you want to be successful with
this game. This mode is very similar to some of the training camp modes but
instead of drilling you on how to perform plays this mode shows you how to
actually play the game with the new motion sensitive controls.
The thing about this game is that it
is so radically different that you have to take the time to learn the controls.
Even after you go through this mode you will find yourself trying to play the
game as you would on any of the other consoles. For instance, after playing
through all of the training modes I found myself pressing the A button to hike
the football even though I knew that it would never work, old habits die hard.
After you get though the mild learning curve for this game you will see how fun
this game really is with all of the new controls. You will actually feel that
you are really in the game playing since you are having to hike the ball, throw
it, stiff arm people, and so on. I thought that it would be hard for the game to
overcome its graphical deficiencies in-comparison to the Xbox 360 and
PlayStation 3 counterparts, but the new controller scheme more than makes up for
it and then some.
Since I have effectively hyped up
the controls enough let me go ahead and tell you what you actually do and how
fun it is. Instead of pressing buttons to get things done you now use various
motions. For instance to thrown a ball you make a throwing motion in front of
you, depending on how fast you do this will depend if you either loft the ball
or do a bullet pass. If you want to stiff arm someone while you have the ball
either point the Wii mote to the left or right and to just you do the same thing
except with the nunchuk attachment. While these controls might seem cumbersome
and hard to master it is very easy once you understand how to use them and makes
the game more interactive, personal, and fun.
All in all, EA did a great job with
the controls, but it is still not perfect. There are two things wrong with the
controls and it is the kicking system and the “Big Hits” controls. The kicking
system seems like it is almost broken as I could barely get it to work, so I had
some friends try it out and they had the same issues as me. It is extremely hard
to get a kick lined up and kick with enough force without messing it up. Another
issue I had is with the Big Hit controls, the motion for it is moving both the
Wii-motes in front of you. I found that it is hard for the game to recognize
this so it only works part of the time. Other than these two complaints the game
is a blast to play.
So much to do with so little
time
There are several Wii-only multiplayer game modes. The first is “2 on 2” which
brings back fond memories since it is just like schoolyard football. This means
that you get five plays to get a touchdown before it is the other team;s turn.
Y.A.C. Attack (yards after catch) is a mode where it is three verses one (one QB
verse three defenders), the more swats or interceptions the defenders get the
higher their score, and the more competed passes and touchdowns the QB gets the
higher his score. The last new game mode is Kicking Combine, where three people
take a field goal kicking challenge, this mode would have been more fun it the
kicking controls did have issues.
The other game modes found in this
game remain the same from Madden 06. First off you will find a very deep
franchise mode where you take a team and see if you can make them the best
around and have fun with all of the mini-camps, owner mode, coaching, and
everything else. Superstar mode makes a comeback and is better than ever. In
this mode you take a rookie and your ultimate goal is to make it into the Hall
of Fame before the guy retires. You can then always look at the NFL Network
mode, which is a way to master certain plays and see how NFL plays actually come
together. Sadly there is no online multiplayer mode, but hopefully this will be
rectified next year.
Off sides with a five yard
penalty
The graphics for Madden NFL 07 will
not dazzle you like the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions; in fact, it is a
very small step-up from the current generation games. In other words the game
really doesn’t take advantage of the hardware as it could. While it is noted
that the Wii doesn’t have the same graphical power as the other next generation
consoles, it still can be better with out the blurry textures and the animation
glitches that you will see. Hopefully next year we will see some improvements on
the graphics that compliment the hardware.
The sound for this game is as good
as it is every year. The musical soundtrack is a mix of popular rock, rap, and
other songs that you love to hear. The sound effects are also decently done from
hearing the various hits that you will hear on the field. I do hope that next
year the commentary will be ramped up some and fleshed out some more as it seems
like that has remained static for years now, but it still gets the job done
without a hitch.
Madden NFL 07 is rated for everyone.
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Gameplay: 8.9
The new control scheme for this game is really
fun to play. While the kicking still needs some work this is the most fun I have
had playing Madden in a while. The motions will take a while to get accustomed
to but once you do you will find it hard to go back and play it on any of the
other systems.
Graphics: 7.3
The bad part of this game is the graphics, especially when you compare
it to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. The game is slightly
better then the “current” generation of consoles but not by much. Hopefully next
year the developers will get a better handle on the system and how to exploit
its power as the Nintendo Wii can perform much better then this.
Sound: 8.1
The music in this game is a really good and contains the usual mix of
hip-hop and rock. The commentary is decent and gets the job done as it has for
many years now.
Difficulty: Medium
It will take a little time to get adjusted to playing the game and all
of its motions to perform certain actions. Thankfully there is a Learn Madden
mode option that is available from the first time you load the game which will
teach you all you need to know.
Concept: 9.1
I really enjoyed how the developers made Madden for the Nintendo Wii.
They made the game play like it really was made for the Wii and it is a blast to
play.
Multiplayer N/A
At the time of this review I was unable to test out the multiplayer
features of Madden NFL 07.
Overall: 8.7
Madden NFL 07 for the Nintendo Wii is a great game. The developers
really took the time necessary to make sure the game felt very responsive and
not gimmicky. After playing the game on the Nintendo Wii it is hard to go back
to the other versions as the game now draws you in it more and makes you feel
that you are more a part of the game.
